Gallagher on Grant

Gary W. Gallagher - The Enduring Civil War: Reflections on the Great American Crisis. A collection of short essays on various aspects of American history. So delightful! Professor Gallagher is Professor of History Emeritus at UVA The author contributes a succinct summary of the rising, falling, and rising again of U.S. Grant historiography. Here we have a good summary of how historical views of people can change.I have read all of the leading Grant biographies in recent years excluding Chernow and I am glad to see this historiographical balancing. After the war Grant was a war hero highly praised between the end of the war and the early 20th Century. His funeral and tomb in NYC was something to behold. Robert E. Lee was at first ignored. Then historiographical fortunes changed. There were the scandals in Grant's administration. But the biggest thing was the Lost Cause creation of the greatness of Robert E. Lee, who was considered by many including Winston Churchill as the greater general although in a losing cause. Grant was smeared as a drunk and a "butcher" who succeeded only because he had more men and materiel to throw at his opposing armies. This reputation was mostly created by the fabricated Lost Cause mythology created by the Southern Historical Society, But during the last twenty-five years there has a dramatic revival of Grant's reputation. The casualties figures that can be summoned show that Lee was the real butcher creating far more casualties than Grant. Both were in truth great generals but Grant WON thru better generalship and not throwing superior manpower at the South. The hero of Vicksburg and Appomattox should take his place amongst the most celebrated and attractive figures in US history.